Streamer CityThe following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:
American LeagueWednesday, 8/8: Kevin Millwood @ BALA nice surprise sound in the Seattle rotation, Millwood owns a 3.90 ERA on the season and has been quality in four of his past five starts.
Friday, 8/10: Scott Feldman vs. DETThe Texas righty is hot right now, as he's allowed only one run over 17 innings with no walks in his past three outings.
National LeagueWednesday, 8/8: Joe Kelly vs. SFThe rookie right-hander has turned in seven straight quality starts for the Cards. No reason to think he'll stop now.
Wednesday, 8/8: Jeff Samardzija @ SDIn five July starts, Samardzija posted a 1.91 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 33 frames.
Thursday, 8/9: Lucas Harrell vs. WASDating back to mid-June, Harrell has a 2.17 ERA and 47/18 K/BB ratio in 45 2/3 innings.
Total GamesAmerican League6: CWS, LAA, MIN, OAK, SEA, TB, TEX, TOR
7: BAL, BOS, CLE, DET, KC, NYY
National League6: ATL, COL, LAD, MIA, MIL, NYM, PHI, SD
7: ARI, CHC, CIN, HOU, PIT, SF, STL, WAS
Lefty/Righty BreakdownsAmerican LeagueBAL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CLE: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
CWS: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
DET: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
KC: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIN: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYY: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
OAK: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TEX: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TOR: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
National LeagueARI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 1 vs. RHP, 5 vs. LHP
MIA: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
MIL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYM: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SF: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
STL: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
WAS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
The InfirmaryYou can get a full listing of injured players at Rotoworld's
Injury Page but here's the latest on a few prominent players who have been out of action:
Jair Jurrjens: Out until mid-August (groin)
Tommy Hanson: Out until mid-August (back)
Jim Thome: Out until mid-August (neck)
Logan Morrison: Out indefinitely (knee)
Trevor Plouffe: Out until early August (thumb)
Placido Polanco: Out until mid-August (back)
Yasmani Grandal: Out until late August (ribs)
Aubrey Huff: Out indefinitely (knee)
Adam Lind: Out until mid-August (back)
The trade deadline came and went this past week, with several high-profile players switching teams. Now, as we venture into August, the finish line is beginning to materialize on the horizon.
In these final months, we'll see non-contending teams call up intriguing prospects for a late-season look (Corey Kluber of the Indians, one of this week's two-start pitchers, is a good example), while others will lock in for the stretch run.
Here are a few notes on the upcoming week:
* In the AL, I struggled with placing James Shields and Yu Darvish in the "Strong Plays" category this week. Both are looking ahead to at least one tough match-up, and neither has been especially effective lately – though they've both been racking up tons of strikeouts. Ultimately, it was their talent and whiff potential that swayed me to recommend them, but there's reason to proceed with caution.
* The Dodgers are slated to face five lefties in six games, including four straight to begin the week. Consider benching Andre Ethier (627 OPS vs. LHP) and get ready for a big week from Matt Kemp (1497 OPS vs. LHP).
* My favorite mid-tier two-start plays in the NL this week are Jake Westbrook, Jeff Karstens and Patrick Corbin.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
James Shields: TOR (Villanueva), @MIN (Diamond)
Yu Darvish: @BOS (Beckett), DET (Porcello)
Jason Vargas: @BAL (Tillman), @LAA (Haren)
Dan Haren: @OAK (Parker), SEA (Vargas)
Scott Diamond: @CLE (McAllister), TB (Shields)
Justin Verlander: NYY (Nova), @TEX (Holland)
Jake Peavy: KC (Mendoza), OAK (Parker)
Zach McAllister: MIN (Diamond), BOS (Buchholz)
Decent Plays
Carlos Villanueva: @TB (Shields), NYY (Hughes)
Jarrod Parker: LAA (Haren), @CWS (Peavy)
Phil Hughes: @DET (Porcello), @TOR (Villanueva)
Ivan Nova: @DET (Verlander), @TOR (Laffey)
Luis Mendoza: @CWS (Peavy), @BAL (Tillman)
Rick Porcello: NYY (Hughes), @TEX (Darvish)
Josh Beckett: TEX (Darvish), @CLE (Kluber)
Chris Tillman: SEA (Vargas), KC (Mendoza)
At Your Own Risk
Jeremy Guthrie: @CWS (Sale), @BAL (Britton)
Corey Kluber: MIN (Deduno), BOS (Beckett)
Zach Britton: SEA (Beavan), KC (Guthrie)
National League
Strong Plays
Edwin Jackson: @HOU (Keuchel), @ARI (Miley)
Lance Lynn: SF (Zito), @PHI (Worley)
Matt Cain: @STL (Westbrook), COL (Pomeranz)
A.J. Burnett: ARI (Miley), SD (Marquis)
Vance Worley: ATL (Sheets), STL (Lynn)
Jon Niese: MIA (LeBlanc), ATL (Sheets)
Yovani Gallardo: CIN (Arroyo), @HOU (Lyles)
Johnny Cueto: @MIL (Fiers), @CHC (Wood)
Ben Sheets: @PHI (Worley), @NYM (Niese)
Wade Miley: @PIT (Burnett), WAS (Jackson)
Decent Plays
Ross Detwiler: @HOU (Lyles), @ARI (Corbin)
Jake Westbrook: SF (Cain), @PHI (Lee)
Barry Zito: @STL (Lynn), COL (Sanchez)
Jeff Karstens: ARI (Corbin), SD (Wells)
Wade LeBlanc: @NYM (Niese), LAD (Capuano)
Chris Capuano: COL (Pomeranz), @MIA (LeBlanc)
Bronson Arroyo: @MIL (Gallardo), @CHC
Patrick Corbin: @PIT (Karstens), WAS (Detwiler)
At Your Own Risk
Kip Wells: CHC, @PIT (Karstens)
Jordan Lyles: WAS (Detwiler), MIL (Gallardo)
Drew Pomeranz: @LAD (Capuano), @SF (Cain)
Jonathan Sanchez: @LAD (Fife), @SD (Zito)
Dallas Keuchel: WAS (Jackson), MIL (Estrada)
Travis Wood: @SD (Ohlendorf), CIN (Cueto)
Streamer City
The following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:
American League
Wednesday, 8/8: Kevin Millwood @ BAL
A nice surprise sound in the Seattle rotation, Millwood owns a 3.90 ERA on the season and has been quality in four of his past five starts.
Friday, 8/10: Scott Feldman vs. DET
The Texas righty is hot right now, as he's allowed only one run over 17 innings with no walks in his past three outings.
National League
Wednesday, 8/8: Joe Kelly vs. SF
The rookie right-hander has turned in seven straight quality starts for the Cards. No reason to think he'll stop now.
Wednesday, 8/8: Jeff Samardzija @ SD
In five July starts, Samardzija posted a 1.91 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 33 frames.
Thursday, 8/9: Lucas Harrell vs. WAS
Dating back to mid-June, Harrell has a 2.17 ERA and 47/18 K/BB ratio in 45 2/3 innings.
Total Games
American League
6: CWS, LAA, MIN, OAK, SEA, TB, TEX, TOR
7: BAL, BOS, CLE, DET, KC, NYY
National League
6: ATL, COL, LAD, MIA, MIL, NYM, PHI, SD
7: ARI, CHC, CIN, HOU, PIT, SF, STL, WAS
Lefty/Righty Breakdowns
American League
BAL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CLE: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
CWS: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
DET: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
KC: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIN: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYY: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
OAK: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TEX: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TOR: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
National League
ARI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 1 vs. RHP, 5 vs. LHP
MIA: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
MIL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYM: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SF: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
STL: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
WAS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
The Infirmary
You can get a full listing of injured players at Rotoworld's Injury Page but here's the latest on a few prominent players who have been out of action:
Jair Jurrjens: Out until mid-August (groin)
Tommy Hanson: Out until mid-August (back)
Jim Thome: Out until mid-August (neck)
Logan Morrison: Out indefinitely (knee)
Trevor Plouffe: Out until early August (thumb)
Placido Polanco: Out until mid-August (back)
Yasmani Grandal: Out until late August (ribs)
Aubrey Huff: Out indefinitely (knee)
Adam Lind: Out until mid-August (back)